Yarn-dyeing machine



Nov. 29, 1927, 1,651,167

H. M. VAN ALSTYNE ET AL YARN DYEING MACHINE.

Filed Oct. 1, 1926 2v sheets-Sheet l xv I v Q RD WI INVENTOR HMmgvAzsmEWITNESSES MZITEEBELL ATTORNEYS;

Nov. 29, 1927. 1,651,167

v H. M. VAN ALSTYNE ET AL YARN DYEING MACHINE I Filed Oct. 1, 1926 2Sheets-Sheet 2 H E EMY-M IIII ERIIN- SEE WITNES INVENTOR r fz'M VANALSTYNE ad Z7. MLTERBELL ATTORNEYS.

Patented Nov. 29, 1927.

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HOWARD MALCOLM VAN ALSTYNE AND WALTER BELL, OF BENSSELAER, NEW YORK.

YARN-DYEING MACHINE.

Application filed October 1, 1926. Serial No. 138,922.

The present invention is primarily concerned with the provision of-thatclass of dyeing machines used for dyeing alternate sections of a lengthof thread or yarn passed through the machine and leaving alternatesections free from dye, although the machine may, if desired, be usedfor continuously dyeing a length of yarn passed theret-hrough.

The machines which have been previously used or designed for thispurpose have been subject to several outstanding defects which renderthem unsatisfactory from a. commercial standpoint. In the first place,the action of the thread or yarn while being wound and rewound throwsoff lint and the conventional types of dyeing machines are soconstructed that they have a. series of openings which quickly becomeclogged with the lint. In our machine all of the openings are covered toprevent clogging, and, incidentally, to prevent loss by evaporation ofthe alcohol with which the dye is cut. In the conventional machines itis also impossible to change the touch or pressure of the thread on thedye pad While the machine is in motion. This contact may be changed atwill with our machine, a feature particularly valuable when runningsamples.

Another object of the invention is to provide a machine of simple,practical construction having only one moving part for each thread andpreferably with that part moving in a smooth rotary manner.

v Another object is to provide a machine which is rugged and durable inuse, in which minor variations in thread contact may be readilyadjusted, in which the dye pads may be chan ed withease and expedition,and in which t e cleaning and recharging of the machine for differentdye colors may be quickly and conveniently efl'ected.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the thread or yarn runningthrough the machine is moved into and out of contact with the dye padsby means of parts which are operated by the movement of the threaditself, or, in other: words, the movement of the thread into and out ofcbntact with the pads is effected or controlled by thread-operatedmechanism. The importance of this feature will be evident uponconsideration of the fact that there is a constant change inthread speedon all winders or spinners due to the constant increase in bobbindiameters as the thread is wound upon it and to the conical shape of thecore upon which the thread is wound. In machines of the conventionaltype where the intervals at which the thread is lifted are uniform, thepattern of the dyed thread is materially affected by the variation ofthread speed.

With the above noted and other objects in view, the invention consistsin certain novel features of construction and combinations andarrangements of arts as will be more fully hereinafter descri ed.

The invention may be better understood spinning or winding machine andis adapted" to effect dyeing of the yarn as the latter is passe-d fromone bobbin to another of the spinning or winding machine. The yarn onlyalternate lengths of which are dyed, is commonly woven or knitted toproduce a speckled or mottled effect in the woven goods.

'We have not shown any means for supporting the machine in properrelation to the spinner or winding machine, but it will be evident thatthis support may be had in any desired manner and by any desired meansin accordance with the particular type of machine with which the dyer isto be associated.

The machine includes an elongated hollow cylindrical body 10 the endspfwhich are closed by suitable caps 11 and 12. The cap 12 is in the natureof a T-coupling and through this cap a pipe 13 enters the cylinder 10,this pipe receiving dye under pressure through a supply line 14. Nipples15 screwed into the top of the cylinder 10 at proper intervals areadapted to support dye pads 16, the pads being clamped in position onthe nipples by caps 17 having slots 18 therein exposing the intermediateportion of justing screw 23 passed through the cap 11 is formed with acylindrical bore 24 guiding the valve stem 25. An expansible spring 26encircles the stem between the screw 23'and valve 22 and may have itstension .properly adjusted by turning the screw 23.

Split collars 27 encircle the cylindrical body and are retained in placeby screws 28 or other suitable means, said collars preferably carryingthree supporting arms. @ne supporting arm 29, projects rearwardly fromthe body 10 and co-operates with similar arms in supporting a bar 30 inwhich a number of screws 31 are vertically adjustable, carrying threadguides 32 at their upper ends. Another arm, 33, depends from the body 10and co-operates with one ormore similar arms to provide a bearing for ashaft '34; upon which the ends of arms 35 are adjustably mounted. 'lhefree ends of the arms 35 carry conventional tensioning discs 36.

The third set of arms 37, for the split collars 27, project forwardlyand are formed with hearing sleeves38 at their free ends in whichbushings 39 are carried. v llhe bushings '39 are eccentrically bored forthe reception r of a pulley wheel shaft l0 upon which a number ofeccentric pulleys 41 are mounted. The simultaneous adjustment of thethread tensioning discs 36 may be efiected by usinga handle 45 to rotateshaft 34. Eccentric bushings 38 are rotatable in their bearings to raiseor lower the pulley shaft 34 by turnin a hand wheel 46.

ien the machine is in operation the only moving parts are'the eccentricpulleys 41, and theseparts are moved by the thread 19, which, as bestseen in Fig. 4, is passed between the tensi-oning discs, over thepulleys, across the dye pads, and through the guides 32, it beingunderstood that each dye pad is alined laterally with a guide 32, pulley4:1, and tensioning roller 36.

The operation of he device is substantially as follows:

As the threads are drawn through the machine by pulling them. frombeyond the guides 32, the thread will cause the pulle s to rotate, anddue to the eccentricity oft e pulleys the thread will be intermittentlyifted up from the dye pad at each revolution of the pulleys. To changethe relation between the periods at which the thread is dyed and theperiods at which the thread is undyed it is merely necessary to raise orlower the 'glaft 40 by rotating the eccentric bushings resi e? From theforegoing description it will be evident that we have provided a machinewell suited to accomplish the results set forth in the objects of theinvention above noted, and a machine in-which the application of thethread to the dye pad and the lifting of the thread from the dye pad,are effected solely through parts set in motion by the thread itself.

' Various changes and alterations might be made in the construction ofthe device without departing from the spirit or scope of the appendedclaims.

- What we claim is:

1. A. thread-dyeing apparatus including a tank having openings therein,dye pads covering the openings, and a dye supply line within the tankincluding nozzles discharging dye under pressure against the pads.

2. A thread-dyeing apparatus including a tank having openings therein,dye pads covering the openings, a dye supply line within the tankincludingnozzles discharging dye under pressure against the pads, apressure relief valve in the dye supply line,

and a dye return line through which excess.

dye from the nozzles or dye escaping from the valve is drained from thetank.

3. A thread-dyeing apparatus, including a tank having openings therein,dye pads covering the openings, a dye supply line within the tankincluding nozzles discharging dye under pressure against the pads,nipples encircling the openings in the tank and supporting the dye pads,and caps screwed on to the nipples and clamping the pads in position.

4. Dyeing apparatus as described in claim 3, and wherein the caps areslotted to permit the contact'of a length of yarn with the dye pad.

' 5. Thread-dyeing apparatus including a pair of concentric tanks, theinner of which serves as a dye supply line, and caps on the ends of theouter tank, one of said caps serving as a coupling through which the dyesupply line enters and excess dye is withdrawn.

- 6. Thread-dyeing apparatus including a pair of concentric tanks, theinner of which serves as a dye supply line, and caps on the ends of theouter tank, oneof said caps serving as a coupling through which the dyesupply line enters and excess dye is withdrawn, the other cap carrying arelief valve 1 v of the thread for intermittently lifting the meme?thread from the pad, said means comprising an eccentric pulley rotatedby the thread.

. 9. In athread-dyeing machine, a dye pad over which a length of threadis adapted to be drawn, tensioning discs through which the thread isadapted to be passed, and means interposed between the tensioningrollers and the dye pad and controlled by movement of the thread forintermittently lifting the thread from the pad.

10. In a thread-dyeing machine, a dye pad over which a length of threadis adapted to be drawn, tensioning discs through which the threadisadapted to be passed, means interposed-between the tensioning discsand the dye pad and controlled by movement of the thread forintermittently lifting the thread from the pad, and means for adjustingsaid lifting means-whereby to regulate the length of the intervalsduring which the thread is lifted.

11. In a thread-dyeing machine, a dye pad over which a length of threadis adapted to be drawn, tensioning discs through which the thread isadapted to be passed, and

means interposed between the tensioning discs and the dye pad andcontrolled by across which a thread is adapted to bedrawn, and meanscontrolled by movement of the thread for intermittently lifting thethread from the pad, and means for adjusting' said lifting means whilethe machineis in motion, whereby to regulate the length of the intervalsduring which the thread is length of thread has passed thereacross, re-

gardless of the varying speed of the thread.

' HOWARD MALCOLM VAN 'ALSTYNE.

WALTER BELL.

